Sotheby’s – Property of a Palm Beach Private Collector

This eclectic collection reflects the sophisticated taste of the original collector who combined 18th century French, Italian and English furniture with the Chinese porcelain. Highlights of English furniture include three pairs of splendid George III giltwood mirrors, and a rare pair of George III giltwood and papier-mâché pier tables as well as a William and Mary red-japanned cabinet on stand and an exceptional giltwood console table attributed to Matthias Lock.

The collection is unusual in comprising both Chinese Export ceramics and fine Chinese taste ceramics and works of art: in total over 80 lots. This includes a magnificent large pair of famille-rose ‘soldier’ vases, unusually painted with figures, and a further group of four identically decorated famille-rose soldier vases. This is possibly the first time that six vases of this rare and highly decorative type have appeared together in one sale. The first pair of vases last appeared on the open market in 1969 when they were sold at Sotheby’s in London, whilst a pair of finely painted famille-rose fishbowls, circa 1740, have provenance back to England in the mid-19th century when they formed part of the celebrated Chinese ceramics collection at Fonthill House, Wiltshire.